New Year Honour adds to list of accolades for respected kaumatua

atiu Eru at a dawn ceremony to celebrate the completion of the Atea a Rangi star compass and a waharoa (gateway) at the Waitangi Regional Park. Photo / Duncan Brown

Respected Flaxmere kaumatua and te reo Maori advocate Reverend Matiu Nohokau Eru has added a New Year Honour to his already impressive list of local civic awards.

Reverend Eru was given the Queen's Service Medal for his services to Maori and education, in today's New Year Honours list.

Reverend Matiu Eru is a senior kaumatua of Ngati Kahungunu and an Anglican minister, who has provided cultural guidance, leadership and services to the Hawke's Bay community.

"Uncle" Matiu Eru's community work includes providing cultural guidance and support to Hawke's Bay and the wider Eastern District Police, and representing the Maori community on police forums.

He also designed and taught a te reo Maori course for police staff for three years.

Eastern District Commander Tania Kura praised Reverend Eru for his much-valued work.

"Kaumatua Matiu Eru has provided cultural guidance and support to Hawke's Bay and the wider Eastern District Police over many years.

" In 2008 Matiu designed and delivered a Maori language course to Police staff and has been hugely influential in helping us continue building sound relationships with our Maori communities.

"Matiu has always been supportive of Police and has worked with us in a number of serious operational incidents, standing alongside district and area leadership staff.

"We are proud and blessed to have Matiu working alongside us and congratulate him on his work with us."

The 2014 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Local Hero award winner is also kaumatua of Eastern Institute of Technology's Hawke's Bay campus.

Reverend Eru has been a senior kaumatua and rangatira at both the Tangoio and Petane Marae since 1991. At present, he also holds the unpaid role of kaumatua of the School of Maori Studies and a tutor and senior adviser at Te Whare Taikura o Kahungunu in Napier.

In addition, he is employed as the senior tikanga specialist for Hawke's Bay District Health Board and is responsible for all Maori ceremonial requests received by the DHB.

His previous awards also include receiving a City of Napier Civic Award in 2016.